


written in the stars

by thesunflowerchild



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 90's aesthetic, Falling In Love, Inspired by Music, Love at First Sight, M/M, New Year's Eve, roller skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28422036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesunflowerchild/pseuds/thesunflowerchild
Summary: Soulmates are a thing of the past, but perhaps the stars have something else to say.ORMark and Donghyuck meet at a New Year's Eve party and the rest is history.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48





	written in the stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mypagemp3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mypagemp3/gifts).



> gOd this has been living rent-free in my brain ever since i first heard this song and it took me forever to finally gain the self-confidence to write it but now i have!!
> 
> it is Strongly Recommended that you listen to [levitating](https://youtu.be/WHuBW3qKm9g) by dua lipa while you read, as this is the song that inspired the Entire fic
> 
> this is for day 22 of [a little wonder's 23 days of wonder](https://twitter.com/littlewonderfic/status/1336330145406144517?s=20), gift-fic day!
> 
> to my lovely any, happy new year! i hope you always have a smile on your beautiful face and happiness in your big heart :)
> 
> and as always, don't hesitate to scream at me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/thesunniechild)!
> 
> here's to you surviving 2020 and may your 2021 be much, much better!
> 
> <3

The lights in the roller rink were low, purple and pink and red strobe lights all over the place, and a huge disco ball casting small slivers of rainbows all over the light maple hardwood skating rink. 

Donghyuck sat down on a bench nearby and took his white roller skates with sparkly pink wheels out of his backpack, switching his white sneakers for the flamboyant boots. They matched his outfit perfectly - a black jacket with pink and white reflective stripes, a white pleated miniskirt, pink leg warmers with aliens on them, and a bright yellow bucket hat to top it all off. 

He had to admit, he’d purposely worn the miniskirt just to look more attractive.

He gathered his things together and rolled off to find an open locker to stash them in, and when he did, he opened it, checking to see if there was a mirror on the inside like some of them had.

Luckily, this locker did, and Donghyuck smirked to himself, shoving his backpack inside. He unzipped the front pocket and left it open so he could grab his makeup easily.

Donghyuck looked back at his reflection in the mirror, at his sparkly cheeks, the flecks catching the disco lights here and there. His eyeshadow was a pretty purple, deep and satin. He didn't wear too much more makeup, but on his lips was a simple clear lipgloss. Donghyuck patted the glitter down, making sure that it would stay while he was skating - because really, what's more embarrassing than sweating your makeup off?

With a final once-over of his makeup, Donghyuck shut the locker and locked it, then fastened the key to the clasp on his choker.

He turned, facing the lively roller rink full of people on this New Year's Eve, and smiled to himself again, excited to get skating. Donghyuck made his way over, receiving several wolf whistles from fat old men. He rolled his eyes and pushed past people until he got to the entrance of the rink.

Stepping onto the rink was immediate euphoria, and as soon as Donghyuck got moving, he felt like nothing in the world could stop him from feeling this better.

Music boomed over the speakers, the lights strobed, people laughed, the smell of cheap pizza and sticky soda, kids playing skee-ball in the arcade corner of the building, psychedelic space art painted on the ceiling above the rink - it all poured into Donghyuck's senses and it simply made him happy.

About fifteen dreamy laps in, Donghyuck spotted someone moving in the DJ booth in the corner, and decided to go investigate, since he'd be here all night. When he came around the corner, he peeked into the booth.

"Hello," he called to the boy sitting there at the chair, a bored look on his face and his skinny headphones around his neck.

"Please stay on the rink," he replied monotonously, staring ahead at the computer monitor he was playing pac-man on.

"Are you even going to look at me?" Donghyuck whined, desperately wanting the attention.

The boy looked down, his face still bored until he saw Donghyuck's outfit and makeup. His eyes blew wide and his mouth dropped.

"Woah," he breathed, shaking his head to rid himself of the shock. "Are you..."

"Gay?" Donghyuck grinned. "Yes. Bored and in need of a friend to skate with? Also yes."

The boy sputtered and blushed. "Fuck, I don't skate," he looked down at his own feet and smiled sheepishly. "I usually have someone help me across the rink."

Donghyuck held a hand out and tilted his head with a small smile. "If you tell me your name, I'd be happy to teach you."

"Mark." The boy said, placing his hand in Donghyuck's. "My name is Mark Lee."

"Well, Mark Lee, I'm Donghyuck Lee and I'll be teaching you how to roller skate tonight."

Donghyuck helped Mark down the steps to his booth without slipping and tightly gripped his hand once the taller was on the slippery rink.

Donghyuck himself began skating backwards as he carefully instructed Mark on how to push off, stop, and the like.

Their fingers were intertwined as they skated together, and slowly, Mark got the hang of it.

"It's fun, isn't it?" Donghyuck laughed, spinning around and coming to Mark's side to hold his hand as they skated together.

"Yeah," Mark laughed breathlessly, sneaking a side glance at the unconventionally beautiful boy beside him. "Yeah, this is really fun."

Then, the main lights in the rink went out, and blacklights came on, sending a collective cheer around.

"You're glowing so much," Mark shouted over the music, which was getting louder. "Your hat and your skirt are crazy!"

Donghyuck laughed and did a little twirl, his skirt fanning out around himself.

"Look!" Came a shout from somewhere near them, and both Mark and Donghyuck turned around to see people dressed in giant neon green alien costumes pour out of one of the doors, dancing their way around the rink and making everything one hundred times better.

"Aliens!" Donghyuck cried, lifting up his leg to show his leg warmers to Mark, who laughed. "I love aliens!"

As if it heard him, one of the aliens skated over and took Donghyuck's hand in a twirl, sending the boy into a fit of laughter and dizziness.

The alien left again and Donghyuck kept spinning, his arms wide, laughing and panting and yelling. He tipped his head back as the momentum continued and his bucket hat went flying off, causing his curly hair to fluff up.

Mark watched in awe, and when Donghyuck stopped spinning and turned to face him, breathless, Mark laughed loudly.

"You dropped your hat," he said, giving it back to Donghyuck. "But don't put it back on, you can see your makeup better without it."

Donghyuck grinned and patted his cheeks, where he could feel that the glitter was - for the most part - still on his cheeks where he'd glued it before he left. He pushed a strand of hair out from his eyes and reached into his pocket, where he pulled a few sparkly purple butterfly clips out. He quickly shoved them into his hair, twisting it out of his face and eyes, and then sighed in satisfaction.

"Now that you know how to skate, shall we dance?" He asked, eyes sparkling as he reached out for Mark's hand.

"Maybe not _dance_ ," Mark laughed, taking Donghyuck's hand anyway. "I'll make a mistake and fall."

"And if you fall, so what?" Donghyuck asked. "We're humans, and humans are made to make mistakes. We learn from those mistakes, so if you fall, you'll get back up and try again."

Mark stared back at this boy he met only hours ago and he could feel his heart beat deep in his chest. Donghyuck made him happier than he'd ever been, made him feel like he could do anything, made him feel special.

"Okay," he breathed, allowing Donghyuck to whisk him away in dance.

They danced away, and yes, Mark did fall - several times - but each time he picked himself back up and they started again.

Soon, the countdown to the new year began, and they halted in the middle of the rink at thirty seconds.

"Hey," Mark turned to stand in front of Donghyuck, taking both his hands and looking into his dark brown eyes. "I know we just me tonight, but you make me feel so," he searched his brain for the correct word, "different." Mark glanced over his shoulder at the giant digital clock on the wall, now at sixteen seconds until the new year. "I, uh-"

"Are you going to ask if it's okay that you kiss me?" Donghyuck tilted his head to the side, a fleck of glitter falling to his shoulder.

Mark reached up and brushed it away. "Yes," he squeaked, his cheeks turning red. "I-I just feel like I've known you my whole life," he mumbled.

"Maybe we're soulmates," Donghyuck smiled, squeezing Mark's hands.

The clock hit ten seconds and the entire building rumbled with people counting down.

"I guess we're about to find out," Mark murmured, pulling Donghyuck closer.

"...three, two, one!"

Their lips met.

"Happy New Year!"

Sparks flew.

Confetti and cheers exploded throughout the arena, Auld Lang Syne blasted over the speakers, and people skated around in celebration.

Mark and Donghyuck broke apart, Mark's hands cupping the sides of Donghyuck's face, pieces of glitter now clinging to his own flushed cheeks.

"I think you're my soulmate," Mark breathed, eyes staring at Donghyuck's plump lips, already wanting more.

"Happy New Year, Mark Lee," Donghyuck giggled, suddenly dropping one of the older's hands and dragging him along by the other hand, gliding across the rink.

Their first several hours of 1997 were spent dancing and rolling, laughing and singing, sneaking kisses and squeezing hands, chugging soda and scarfing up pizza, losing at the basketball arcade game and winning by a landslide at skee-ball.

As the party dwindled down and people started to leave, Mark and Donghyuck and a couple aliens were the only ones left on the rink, slowly skating in circles and talking animatedly.

One of the aliens approached them and unzipped their hood, and the face of another boy, older-looking than Mark popped out. The guy looked at Donghyuck and nodded slightly before looking back at Mark. "Dude, we're glad you found love and all, but Yuta had to fill in for you at the DJ booth and Taeyong's not gonna be happy that you abandoned ship."

"Johnny," Mark sighed, "I didn't abandon ship, I simply took an extra long break."

The alien - Johnny - looked back at Mark with an unamused look on his face. "Come on, man, he's not gonna buy that."

Mark sighed again, this time frustratedly. "Look, you're in charge tonight. I'll take care of cleaning the bathrooms for you for... a month, if you don't tell him!"

"Make it two."

" _Fine_ , two. Just don't tell him, Johnny!"

"Tell him what?" Johnny responded, a twinkle in his eye. He looked back over at Donghyuck and stuck his hand out. "I'm Johnny," he introduced himself. "And you have an amazing sense of fashion."

Donghyuck laughed and shook Johnny's hand. "Donghyuck."

Johnny simply raised an eyebrow and didn't say anything as he backed up. "See you later, Mark! Happy New Year!"

Mark waved Johnny off and turned back to Donghyuck. "Sorry, he's my supervisor."

Donghyuck shook his head and lifted his arms above his head in a big stretch, yawning largely. "I should probably get out of here," he said through his yawn. "It's late and you guys are closing up."

Mark sighed and dropped his head. "Yeah," he said sadly. "Hey do you have a cell phone?" He asked.

Donghyuck nodded his head and Mark's eyes lit up again, dragging the boy over to the DJ booth where he dug around in a bag and pulled out his Nokia cell phone. "What's your number?"

Donghyuck gave it to him, and Mark promised he'd text him later on, and then Mark was escorting Donghyuck to the rink exits and all the way to the locker.

They talked until they could no more and Donghyuck had to leave the rink.

"I can't believe I met you," Mark laughed as he walked Donghyuck out to his car. "It feels almost like a dream."

Donghyuck tossed his backpack in the backseat of his car, shut the door, and leaned back on it, facing Mark.

He stared back at this incredibly _plain_ boy in front of him. "You're different than the rest," he said, smiling lightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well your reaction when you first saw me. You didn't whistle or make a dirty face, you looked at me like I was pretty. I know I dress differently than normal boys, and it earns me bad comments a lot, but it was like you just saw through all that." Donghyuck said shyly, linking his pinkies together in front of his thighs.

"You _are_ pretty," Mark whispered, coming closer and taking one of Donghyuck's hands in his. "You're so pretty." He leaned in and pressed their lips together again, this time longer and more meaningful.

"I think I love you," Donghyuck whispered, his eyes still closed, chasing after Mark's lips.

Mark chuckled fondly as the younger opened his eyes.

"You have some glitter on your lip," Donghyuck giggled, pointing to a lavender star-shaped fleck of glitter settled in the bottom corner of Mark's lip.

"You have stars on your cheeks," Mark whispered.

Donghyuck smiled.

They talked a bit more before Mark's supervisor yelled at him to come back inside, and then they begrudgingly separated.

Mark waved as Donghyuck drove away, 80's music blasting from the speakers in his car.

Donghyuck went to sleep with a smile on his face that night.

_I believe that you're for me, I feel it in our energy, I see us written in the stars._

**Author's Note:**

> kudos & comments = me happy  
> me happy = me want to write more  
> me write more = you happy  
> you happy = kudos & comments
> 
> repeat :)


End file.
